Gastfreund | Hotelcore vs. STAY Guest App:
Which Is Right for You?

The Decision

Choosing the right guest app for your hotel can significantly influence guest satisfaction, operational efficiency, and your bottom line. Both Gastfreund | Hotelcore and STAY aim to digitize guest interactions, but they differ in scope, user feedback, and feature set. Your decision hinges on your hotel’s size, needs, and growth plans—so which platform aligns best with your goals?

Gastfreund | Hotelcore offers a broad suite of digital tools with a focus on creating personalized guest journeys, while STAY emphasizes streamlined operations and extensive integrations. Do you prioritize a proven, highly-rated solution with a larger customer base, or a flexible, feature-rich platform tailored to varied hotel segments?

Is Gastfreund | Hotelcore or STAY Better for Hotels?

Gastfreund | Hotelcore targets a wide range of property types, from resorts to boutique hotels, with more than 7,000 global users. Its core strengths lie in digital guest directories, information channels, and a modular system designed to elevate guest engagement across multiple touchpoints. However, its overall rating is 0/5 with only 11 reviews, and recent feedback is scarce, making confidence in its current performance more difficult.

STAY, by contrast, is used by over 1,000 hotels across 67 countries, including many large chains like NH Hotels and Riu. Rated at 3/5 with 206 reviews—most recent reviews are from the last six months—its platform is more actively tested and improved based on user feedback. Its focus on operational efficiency and integrations makes it a clear choice for hotels seeking tangible, measurable improvements.

The key question: Do you want a digital guest experience system with a long legacy and extensive modules, or a more modern, operationally oriented platform with a larger, more recent user base?

Edge: STAY Guest App

Gastfreund | Hotelcore vs STAY: Which Should Your Hotel Choose?

If your hotel needs a broad digital guest experience that emphasizes personalization, multilingual content, and a variety of optional modules, Gastfreund | Hotelcore might be the better fit. It’s ideal for resorts, boutique hotels, and properties seeking a flexible, modular solution with a significant global footprint.

Conversely, if operational efficiency, fast onboarding, and proven results are your priority, STAY offers a more compelling choice. Its large user base, recent reviews, and strong focus on reducing queues, streamlining staff work, and increasing revenue make it suited for larger chains and hotels aiming for measurable impact.

For boutique hotels or properties that want to enhance guest engagement with detailed content, Gastfreund’s features like digital guest directories and Webview integrations are appealing. Meanwhile, hotels seeking a straightforward, highly rated app with robust integrations and clear operational benefits should lean toward STAY.

Edge: STAY Guest App

Is Gastfreund | Hotelcore or STAY Easier to Use?

Gastfreund | Hotelcore’s user ratings show a solid 4.27/5 for ease of use, but only 11 reviews suggest limited recent user feedback. Onboarding is rated 4.44/5, and support is similarly rated, indicating a generally positive but less tested experience. Its interface, especially its digital guest directory, is praised for being intuitive, but the limited review volume means fewer insights into day-to-day usability.

STAY’s ease of use is rated at 4.78/5 based on 206 reviews, with recent feedback highlighting straightforward implementation and friendly interfaces. Hotels frequently mention how intuitive the CMS and app are, with staff adopting the platform quickly. Support ratings are marginally higher at 4.83/5, reinforcing its reputation for user-friendly design.

Edge: STAY Guest App

Which Has Better Features: Gastfreund | Hotelcore or STAY?

Gastfreund | Hotelcore offers core features like a digital guest directory and info channel, plus two unique features: mobile check-in and payments. These features support a seamless check-in process and optional revenue streams. However, it lacks advanced communication tools like chatbots or message routing, which are increasingly important for guest engagement.

STAY provides five exclusive features: a full mobile app, chatbot, automated replies, message routing, and guest profiles. These capabilities enable personalized, automated communication and better guest management, making it a more versatile tool for operational and guest service enhancements.

Given the number of unique features, STAY’s platform offers a broader, more flexible toolkit to improve guest communication and operational workflows.

Edge: STAY Guest App

Which Has Better Customer Support: Gastfreund | Hotelcore or STAY?

Gastfreund | Hotelcore’s support is rated 4.27/5, but with only 11 reviews, it’s hard to gauge consistency. Customers mention professional support and quick responses, but recent feedback is scarce, raising questions about ongoing service quality.

STAY’s support outperforms with a 4.83/5 rating based on over 200 reviews. Many hoteliers praise the team's responsiveness and helpfulness, often noting how support helps them quickly adapt and troubleshoot. Recent reviews reinforce STAY’s commitment to high-quality customer service, essential for busy hotel operations.

Edge: STAY Guest App

Which Has More Integrations: Gastfreund | Hotelcore or STAY?

Gastfreund | Hotelcore has 13 verified partners, sharing integrations with major systems like SiteMinder, Mews, and Planet. Its integration ecosystem is solid but more limited compared to STAY’s extensive partner network.

STAY boasts 20 verified partners, including industry giants like Oracle Hospitality, Hotelkit, and Unifocus, alongside shared integrations like Vingcard and Amadeus. Its broader integration landscape allows hotels to connect more internal systems, data, and services seamlessly, supporting scalable, complex operations.

Edge: STAY Guest App

Which Do Hoteliers Rate Higher: Gastfreund | Hotelcore or STAY?

Gastfreund | Hotelcore’s reviews are minimal, with only 11 ratings and no recent feedback, making it difficult to assess current satisfaction levels. The lack of recent reviews suggests limited ongoing user engagement or support.

STAY’s reviews, however, total 206 with recent feedback from the last 6 months. Hotels consistently rate it 3/5, with many emphasizing how it boosts operational efficiency and guest satisfaction. The recent reviews provide a reliable indicator of its current performance and hotel approval.

Given the volume and recency of reviews, STAY is clearly the higher-rated product.

Edge: STAY Guest App

How Much Do Gastfreund | Hotelcore and STAY Cost?

Gastfreund | Hotelcore’s base price is $400/month with no freemium or trial options, indicating a potentially higher initial investment. Additional costs may apply for modules or customizations, but specifics aren’t detailed.

STAY’s base price is $300/month, also without a freemium or trial, making it slightly more affordable for most hotels. Its transparent pricing and lower entry point can be advantageous for properties seeking cost-effective solutions.

If budget is a concern, STAY’s lower price point makes it an attractive choice without sacrificing core functionalities.

Edge: STAY Guest App

What Type of Hotel Should Use Gastfreund | Hotelcore?

• Hotels that prioritize a modular digital guest experience, focusing on multilingual content and personalized guest journeys.
• Resorts, boutique hotels, or properties with a strong emphasis on guest engagement and upselling.
• Teams seeking a flexible platform that integrates with various PMS systems.
• Hotels aiming to reduce paper and manual inquiries with digital directories.
• Not ideal if your hotel prefers a highly rated, recent user feedback-driven platform or requires extensive automation tools.

Gastfreund | Hotelcore suits properties keen on creating a digital-first guest experience with a focus on personal touch but may lack recent active support or reviews.

What Type of Hotel Should Use STAY?

• Hotels aiming to reduce queues, boost operational efficiency, and digitize services with proven tools.
• Large chains like NH Hotels, Riu, or AMR Collection seeking scalable, integrated platforms.
• Hotels focused on increasing revenue through automation, chatbots, and guest profiles.
• Properties that want extensive integrations with PMS, CRM, and third-party services.
• Not ideal if your hotel requires a platform with minimal setup or if you prefer a solution with fewer regional limitations.

STAY is ideal for hotels that want to streamline operations, improve guest satisfaction, and leverage data-driven insights.

The Bottom Line for Hotels: Gastfreund | Hotelcore or STAY?

Gastfreund | Hotelcore offers a comprehensive digital guest experience with modules that support guest engagement and personalization. Its limited recent reviews and lower overall rating make it less appealing for property owners seeking proven impact and reliability today.

STAY stands out with a larger, more recent review base, a higher overall rating, and a broader set of features that support operational improvements. Its customer support, integrations, and user feedback make it a smarter choice for hotels aiming for measurable results now.

For hoteliers looking for a trusted, well-rated platform with a focus on operational efficiency, STAY is the superior pick.

If your hotel values a flexible, feature-rich system with recent active user engagement, go with STAY. If you prefer a modular system with a focus on personalized guest journeys and are comfortable with limited recent feedback, Gastfreund may suffice.

In most cases, STAY’s recent reviews, larger user base, and proven track record make it the safer, more reliable option for today’s hotel environment.